Fighting Fear
by OzoraWings
Summary: For Jamie the Guardians had been a large part of his life since the night with Pitch, however it was about to grow to new heights when tragedy befalls his life - cutting his cords on his old life and sending him in onto his next...as the new Guardian of Courage and Bravery.


**Code: **RTG-FF-CH.01

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the featured media, the rights go to their respected owners.

**Title: **Fight Fear

**Medium: **Rise of the Guardians (Movie world - might be mentions of the book series/ not followed explicitly)

**Chapter: **1, _The Beginning of The End..._

**Rating: "**M", for violence, blood.

Jamie Bennet knew a lot more than a lot of people realised - than his peers, than his parents or teachers. He knew that children (that _he) _was protected, that things were out there that people just... stopped believing in.

He had been called immature, he had been bullied for his views that had _never _changed - ever since one night when he had been ten years old. He had been brought up with his eyes wide open in believe, with a world that was forever changing and just so _colourful._

He had never "grown up" like so many others had - who had stopped seeing their planet as the amazing thing it was and settled with a sterile reality that had been drilled into them when they became of the age that one should start accepting how things were.

His neighborhood was different; he retained his outlook, with the friends who had stuck with him through thick and thin - with Pippa and Cupcake, with Monty and Caleb and Claude and his sister, Sophie. With what they had experienced they shouldn't have expected otherwise. It brought exasperation from their family, questioning eyebrows from authority figures and teasing from just about everyone else.

Jamie didn't fully understand the problem; they _knew _that the Tooth fairy, that the Easter Bunny and the Sandman were real, they knew that Santa existed and that Jack Frost was the person who brought them winter and snow and ice and blizzards.

They knew it was real because they had seen it - had seen the confrontation. And through the inexperienced eyes _seen _how the Guardians (because together that's what they would make up) would give their very _being _to protect them. To keep them safe. To keep Believe in their core and smiles on their faces.

Jamie and his friends knew it for fact so he couldn't help feeling annoyed with the questions and scared those beliefs caused; the trouble it stirred and he and his group was singled out for it when they wouldn't dare insult someone else's points of views or outlooks. Even if they were _wrong. _

Still, they made it through secondary school with their heads held high and their Believe intact because with everything the Guardians did for them, what were they supposed to do? Forget because it was easier? Deny to blend in? No, it would do the Guardians the greatest dishonour. They wouldn't - couldn't do it.

And if Jamie was completely honest with himself - he was scared, he was scared that should he _not _defend Jack - and everyone else, that he would just... forget. That he would forget Tooth's mothering and North's uncle like tendencies, that he would _lose _Bunny and all his big brother qualities and Jack's ... Jack.

Jamie was _terrified _that should he conform to what was expected of him and simply let go (and that feeling had become increasingly _there, _stuck in his chest) that he would be deprived of the father he had found in the youngest of the Guardians. A father he had never had in his biological, the father that tells him to wrap up warmer because it would _definitely _be getting colder soon, the father that would tell him to go to sleep or help him with homework or reprimand him to treat his little sister with more respect because - _"however annoying you find her, one day she might not be here, and one day you'll regret not taking _every _opportunity to love her like you should" _and joke and laugh with him.

So Jamie held onto every Belief he had - every single one. It drove his mother mad and they had more then a few talks discussing it. But much to her chagrin she simply could not _disprove _something that had not been proven. She simply could not argue about it and after a partially bad day where _everything _seemed to have gone wrong (late to class because a uppity upper classman wouldn't keep the gate open for him; homework stolen; lunch tipped over him by Geoffrey; tripped over in the hallway on the way to History and managing to lose his homework he _knew _he had until all his papers had gone slipping across the corridor, just to be trodden on) he could no longer bite his tongue he had been with her.

His mother had brought his sister and he up as a single parent - both their fathers having walked out on them, and all while working full time as a doctor to support him so he was...docile; mellow with his words and actions against her but all he could see that day was his mother - _everyone _making a problem out of something that could have just been left alone. And exploded on their doorstep when it all became a bit too much.

'_So what if I'm "too old"?.! So what if I'm in my teens?.!' _Jamie had screamed so loudly that the grumpy old man next door had turned to scowl at him while sitting out on a deckchair on his lawn '_What's wrong with it?.! Who am I hurting?.! What's so _bad _with Belief?.! Why is this such a problem?.! Why does it need to be fixed?.! How about you tell me what the issue is and _I _can tell you where to go?.!' _

That day his mother had looked at him like she had never seen him before and _he _had kept to his bed that night and the next while continuing to sulk during school until Sophie had gotten involved and set Jack on him who had hit him over then head and sat him down for a talk.

'_Honestly kiddo' _Jack had sighed tiredly, sat on top his desk with his staff laying on top (though his hand was still resting on it), one leg swinging downwards while the other was propped up on the surface, his other arm laying on to of that, in one of his usual position that only _Jack _could pull off '_She's _worried _about you. I know if I was your parent that I would be too' _the Guardian held up a hand to stop him when he went to interrupt, his face unusually serious '_No. I mean it Jamie. She's concerned; she's concerned what people think - and not out of embarrassment, she's worried that you won't fit in.' _Jack shook his head _'She's worried _for you _and not _because of you_'_

Jamie remembered looking down at his feet at that, unsure of what to say or how to say it because he knew - like so many other things, that it was true; that he had been caught in a bad moment and simply gone off and the most unfortunate person who had happened to irk him next but the subject was - and always will be touche '_I...I don't want to stop... I don't want to stop Believing...in you' _Jamie had confessed before he had looked up just in time to see Jack's expression turn from shock to something tender... something delicate that had Jamie's breath hitch.

Jack had gotten up from his desk, pushing off with one leg and gliding effortlessly to his feet before going over to knell at the edge of Jamie's bed - the one he was sat on and place a hand on his shoulder.

Jack's palm had been cold - so cold that it had gone straight through his long-sleevedT-shirt (however Jamie had had practice and didn't shiver. Would never shiver to Jacks touch because Jack had long since realised that he was naturally like ice to "normal" people so wouldn't needlessly put himself in a position where it happened) and smiled.

'_Jamie listen to me. I will always be right where you need me - Belief or otherwise. And not because you were the First or that stuff _way back _with Pitch, but because you have something _very _special inside you' _Jack had tapped his chest with his free hand, a knowing smile on his lips that though was there, also told Jamie that he wouldn't be able to get it out of Jack.

Jamie didn't have it in him to tell Jack that that wasn't what frightened him - and never would because even if he had tried Jamie had felt his throat tightening and starting to ache so he had just nodded and given a hesitant smile back.

Afterwards, the next day he would ruffle his sister's hair (which _had _managed to get tamed) before giving the girl a quick hug and apologising to their mother. However standing firm in the family he had earned and for the first time, his mum had just smiled thinly and inclined her head.

'_You shouldn't be apologising; you are very much like my father' _she had told him with a huff of laughter as they went to sit at the laid table for breakfast that was waiting to be eaten '_Calm as a river until a big enough stone hits; I pushed you too far and the fall out was my fault, Jamie. We won't talk about it again, but you will not talk to me like that without reason again, understand young man?'_

So Jamie continued to Believe even with the unrelenting force of normalcy being thrown, unwanted, in his direction. His friends stood behind through it all - the name calling, the bulling, the snide comments and the attacks on their property and their person.

It would be summer when his life stopped being unusual - and merely stopped altogether. It had been a normal enough day for his and his ragtag group of friends (and wasn't that always the way?) as he made it into school for his first class, Mathematics.

They had been reviewing their textbooks when a sharp, echoing bang echoed through the air, high-pitched, fearful screams following not a moment after that had Jamie's heart skip a beat. His eyes had grown wide and his throat was suddenly dry as all movement in the classroom stopped; the uninterested looks of his friends and peers vanishing and the teacher straightening.

Because there would be no doubt to what that noise was; even the uneducated would recognise it.

A gun shot.

Mrs Steven - a friendly teacher despite her subject, who always had a good sense of humour even if she would turn it on you, if you misbehaved or gave her back talk stood slowly, silently. Her face was notably strained as she nodded to them and put a finger against her lips in the universal gesture of _stay silent _as she got to the door.

She wouldn't even make it a foot outside before her body fell make through into her class, still and bleeding from between her eyes. Everyone screamed and Jamie knew when he was being tugged by trembling hands out of his seat that they had started to huddle in the corner of the room - against the diversion posters and piecharts that would have been up there for the term before being sent home to the students who had been forced to create them.

It was Monty (Caleb was the only other in their group who was in this class with them) who had gotten him moving - Monty the one who wouldn't usually act until absolutely necessary had made sure he wasn't sitting at his desk like a awaiting duck as the gunman stepped forward.

He was a man of the older persuasion. There was nothing abnormal about this man - nothing that would set him apart from anyone else on the street. Nothing that would tell them to be fearful of him because he could very well hurt them.

And he wouldn't look at all threatening if it wasn't for the haunted, hallow look to his eyes; he dead quality that stuck to his face or the long, metal weapon in his hands that could end someones life - like it already had.

He wasn't like Pitch who was black and nasty and made from shadows.

This man was human.

And that instilled terror in Jamie.

The man was unpredictable.

But soon the man was pointing the mussel towards them as Jamie stood slack stiff as his perception of the world changed, while around him people were shaking terribly, crying, sniffing, wailing, Layla had fainted and Tom had had an accident, Caleb had pushed Monty and himself behind him as his very _bones _jerked.

It would snap back for Jamie as what seemed to be the trigger clicked in placed, he would push his friends out of the way - behind him with a battle cry that startled even the gunman, pushing everyone - every single classmate behind him, sandwiching them in so tightly that he could _feel _them.

His fingertips would dig into the people he had a hold over and leave marks for days afterwards and his stance would be strong and unmovable, his still developing muscles taut and his neck tumbling noticeably as a fierce and daring glare morphed his earlier struck expression while his eyes _burned._

It was a stare off but nothing was making Jamie back down, even though he was scared - even when he knew that no help was coming this time; that this was a making that no Guardian to hope to safe them from, that it was summer and Jack could come down to such a high climate, that there was no protection.

He. Would. Not. Back. **Down**.

Like everything else he has ever done, Jamie stood tall and defied the man who would take joy and happy memories - defied exception - defied the man _with the gun _because... because his soul - _his _being was telling him too.

Jamie would fall with a single bullet to the chest. It was blinding, white agony as something tore its way from his throat and his body dropped unaided to the group. The blackness would surround him, encompassing him as pain he had never experienced before ridded him from the inside out.

He burned and without his knowledge struggled, only to find that his limps wouldn't work - were restrain so he wouldn't hurt himself and that set in panic until someone bellowed his name.

'JAMIE!'

It was like cold, ice water had been tipped over him as his eyes snapped open (_and when had they closed?) _His vision cleared to see people looking over him, his chest heaving madly - heaving like never before as he wheezed hysteria, dread in every inch of his skin as his head strain upwards (and against protests), wide, round eyes looking franticly at the blossoming patch of deep - so deep it was almost _black - _blood.

There were screams around him like before - there was crying like before.

And just like before he was at the centre of it.

But his mind was going hazy and there were black spots dancing in his vision as his alarmed face jerked to every face knelling over him, before settling on the only two he trusted.

'C-Cha-leb? M-Manety?' he could taste iron on his tongue as he tried to control it, and felt nauseated as he tired to swallow it back.

Monty looked sick, white and sweaty - _ill. _he pushed Jamie's head back with his palm to Jamie's forehead and tried to smile, though his expression was anything but as he breathed sobs 'Fine - fine, Jamie' before crying 'Please be fine!'

Caleb seemed to be gritting his teeth as his own tears steamed down his face 'Course he's going to be fine!' he snapped to Monty who just cried harder. Caleb turned to his friend - his friend who was one the floor, his friend who may very well have just taken a bullet for him. Brave, strong _Jamie. _Hurt, Bleeding, Jamie.

'Your gonna be fine' but even a Caleb said that he didn't know who he was trying to convince; himself or Jamie 'Your gonna be fine, just... let's talk, alright? Let's talk and - and wait for the meds' alright?'

But it wasn't alright and as another bang echoed back to the classroom - just like the first one had, they didn't know if it ever would be. Jamie shook his head ''M tired' but he was shaken awaken (jolting his chest) by Caleb.

'Don't go to sleep!' Caleb shouted harshly, eyes stinging and the very image of someone who was already grieving 'What am I gonna tell ya mum if you don't go home tonight, Jamie! What am I gonna tell Sophie!' glazed, unseeing orbs looked up to him and Caleb sobbed himself 'You - you promised! You promised Jack that you'd win that snowball fight at christmas with him! What's he gonna do when he gets here and your gone?.!'

'Jack...' Jamie didn't feel the blood tickle down his chin but Caleb and Monty saw it was pain flickered across their features 'Ja'k... I...wanted...tell him'

Caleb clung to this, holding onto their chests shoulder 'What? What did you want to tell him?' he asked desperately.

'H'm... dad... always... want'ed'

Caleb tried to but his throat refused to as it grew tighter and tighter, blood on his hands and blood on his shirt as he pushed for more 'You too were the closet out of all of us' he tired to laugh but he wasn't sure how well it turned out with the buzzing in his ears and the weakness in his bones.

'La'ove 'im... Sop'ie jealous thou...la'ove 'er too... la'ove mum as well' tears clung to Jamies thick eyelashes and his harsh and uneasy breathes were heard over the silence - the stillness in the classroom as a talk between friends quickly got the attention of very frightened soul in that room, as Jamie's tongue got increasing numb and his diction thicker because of it.

'Yeah, yeah don't worry - I'll - I'll tell 'em.' Caleb swore, holding on tighter as if to somehow keep his friend _there _'I'll tell erm' Jamie's tired confusion made Caleb's chest tighten because Jamie was... he was fading and didn't even realise.

'La'ove you guys too' Jamie whispered, perhaps with some clarity as Caleb dropped his forehead to the brunet's shoulder, crying so loudly that it turned into silent cries of desperation because they couldn't lose him _now. _After _everything. _While they still _needed _him.

Their strong, fearless leader. As they so dubbed him.

And Jamie had been strong and fearless - just like he had always been. And so, so brave as he pushed him away and stood in front - like he always had.

Many teenagers didn't think of their age as young - part of their own bred of arrogance supposedly but Jamie - Jamie had barely made it his fifteenth birthday and when Caleb looked to the shirt he was leaning against, and to the shoulders that had _hardly _started to borden and think _He hasn't even _lived yet _and he's leaving._

'Don't go - please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please' Monty begged like a mantra.

Needless to say they pleas would come with no mercy though that didn't mean they stopped. They would sit there on their classroom floor, at the start of what should have been an ordinary day _beseeching _their friend of five years and (in Monty's care) longer while their classmates gathered around without word.

Gunfire would be brought back to them but they weren't paying attention to the deadly threat of a coldhearted weapon until the room was being swarmed by armed police and medics.

Caleb and Monty were gently pushed out of the way.

Time blurred as they both watched, unable to do a thing even when the medics glanced at each, features grim and lips thin as one - the smaller of the two said quietly 'Call it, Tom'

The taller, bigger male with dark eyes and white skin - Tom hesitated, looking up to the children who were still being moved out and went back to the young boy, still on the floor, who would forever be remembered as the one on the floor, and looked back down to the small brunet, so small and innocent and who had been robbed of too much,

'Time of death...'

**A/N (29.11.13) -**

Well, this took some to write - luckily finishing off the end didn't take as long but hopefully this is okay. Don't have much to say at this point, but don't get too discouraged, it _does _get better... in a bittersweet way in some respects - but better it is.

Oh! And P.S. The stuff with the gunman will be explained.

**Tumblr: **ozorawings

I** Apologise **if there are any mistakes in my spelling/ grammar, or if you find anything I have written offensive.

* * *

**Thank you** to everyone who added '_Ignorance is Bliss_' to their favorites/ alerts or who took the time to review, you also have my gratitude for reading.

**OW**


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